This invention relates generally to racks and rack-type supports having horizontal planar surfaces and, more particularly, to such racks and supports of the type having a removable shelf.
It is well recognized that a wide variety of racks and rack-type supports are known. Examples of but a few types are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,805,989 (Levene), 1,990,756 (Saaf), 5,127,340 (Maro et al.) and 5,607,070 (Hellyer). While these arrangements have been generally satisfactory for their intended purposes, they are not without disadvantages for certain applications.
For example, the shelves disclosed in the Levene patent must be bolted in place and unbolted to be removed and, if desired, stored. Where time has value, as is usually the case in a work environment, the arrangement is cumbersome. While the shelves disclosed in the Saaf patent may be more quickly mounted and removed, that convenience requires a shelf having pins mounted for pivoting movement into and out of supporting holes.
For greatest flexibility in erection, use and "tear-down, a scaffold should have a shelf-like platform which can be readily mounted and, just as readily, removed. Home entertainment centers, another type of product having one or more shelves, are most preferably configured so that the vertical spacing between shelves can be selected consistent with the vertical height of the components, e.g., tuner, compact-disc player, amplifier or the like, which are intended to rest upon such shelves. Structures like that disclosed in the Levene patent do not lend themselves easily to such uses.
Another type of rack with one or more shelves is embodied as mounted or freestanding units used to display retail products for sale. Such units are often referred to in the industry as "store fixtures." Most preferably, stores fixtures should be aesthetically attractive, permit easy reconfiguration for displaying any of a variety of types of products and have features easily adapted to integration of advertising graphics or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,419 describes one display-type shelving unit which includes a plurality of shelves mounted to laterally spaced posts. Each shelf is mounted using two special brackets which cooperate with slots and recesses in the shelf to support the shelf in a horizontal position, to hang the shelf in an essentially vertical position, or to maintain the shelf in an angled position. While this solution facilitates quick and easy movement of each shelf among its three possible positions, this solution does not enable shelf removal, facilitate changing the vertical positions of each shelf and facilitate various other useful shelving arrangements.
Yet another product which advantageously includes one or more flat surfaces having adjustable height includes a flat-surface desk which may be used by multiple persons. For example, in factories which have more than one shift, often persons who use a desk during different shifts are different heights. To comfortably accommodate users having various heights it is advantageous to have an adjustable-height desk top.
An improved support and shelf which responds to the needs described above would be an important advance in this field of technology.